Customer Reviews
Oh dear - By: Trej, 23 Nov 2008 
What a disappointment. This is a drama that feels terribly dated. The characterisation is weak & the script more than slightly pedantic. "Give them a chance" "No they're not worth it. They're animals" etc. Yes - this is the kind of embarrassing stuff you have to listen to. In fact it is so risiblein places, you may find it hard not to laugh out loud. Definitely not HBO's finest hour(s).
I have the distinct feeling that this may have been impressive at the time but far from now being a fine vintage drama, the show has turned into dramatic vinegarin a remarkably short period of time. After all the hype & the good reviews I'd read on amazon, this was a let-down. I'm going to return to The Wire for a proper fix.
Gripping Stuff - By: Ms. A. C. Bettinson, 25 May 2008 
An engrossing show that is hard hitting. The narration is a bit annoying & on the whole unnescessary, although occasionally it doesn add a thought provoking point or commentary.
I don't usually watch prison drmams, but decided to give this a go having read positive reviews- & I'm glad I did. It is dark & offers an antidote to syrupy sentimental drama, to implausible dramas, or to those relying on thinly drawn characters.
Each episode develops the characters further, & the storylines are high quality allowing tensions & dynamics to be explored. In fact this is quite an intersting studyin psychology.
Worth a look.
Brutality and humanity in OZ - By: Louise Amkaer, 02 Apr 2008 
OZ - rough letter tattooed on an armin Oswald Penitentiary & the prison drama about the inmates & staffin the section of OZ call Emerald City. Any connotation to Dorothy & Toto stops here. OZ is serious, tough, uncompromising, real, stripped to the bone & still manages to show the characters as people, good or bad. There are no one dimensional characters here, & all the actors step up to the challenge.
I still haven't decided whether I like the show or not, but I recommend it for its brutality & humanity. No, the two are not conflicting here. This is the kind of show that like it or not, it stays with you.
Louise.
OZ season 1 - By: Neil Mcgregor, 01 Apr 2008 
This series was offered to me from a friend saying it was amazing
so i gave it a watch & ever since then ive been glued to the telly for weeks i have just ordered the 3rd & 4th season.
The characters the story everything about this is superb.the prisoners range from black gangs memeber,latinos,neo-nazis,gays,mafia,muslims,biker gangs,rapests then there is the couple nearly OK guys such as tobius beecher & agustus hill(who will be the host of each episode)
Anybody thinking of buying this think no longer this is one of the best things i have ever seenin my life being an 18 year old. if it was ever held as ransom buy one of the thugsin it i would pay them £100s of £s for it back!!
Good but let down a bit with commentary - By: The swampster, 08 Feb 2008 I had previously watched the series on a random basis when it was shown on TV so I purchased the box sets for seasons 1 & 2. I now wish I'd looked a bit more & bought the complete series box set. Superb acting & a cast that runs through all my favourites, The Wire, Special Victims Unit, Law & Order, The Sopranos etc. Brutal, but notin a glorified way, & realistic. The only thing that annoyed me about the show was the commentary providedin the form of a wheelchair bound convict with various views on the world. Totally unnecessary. When expanding on another character it fulfilled a function, otherwise it appeared a bit arty fartyin my opinion. However this aside another HBO gem.
